Vehicle-lamp.



A. E. MADONALD VEHICLE LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1912 1,0 83,1 l2. v Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLIGATION FILED M 1R.1G.1912.

A E. MAoDONALD. VEHICLE LAMP.

Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 m M, a4 WW W 1 A. E. MACDONALD.

VEHICLE LAMP.

APBLIGATION FILED MAR. 16, 1912.

Patnted Dec. 30, 1913.

LOB 3,1 12.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

V WWI/3M I W47 MW W A. E. MACDONALD.

VEHICLE LAMP.

- APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1912. 1,083,1 1 2. Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 UNITED STATES PATENT our-Ion.

sermon nannsr mnonennfon Lennon. ENGLAND.

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s ecification: Letters-Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 19-13.

Applicationflled March- 16, 1 912. Serial No. scares. j

To all whom itmag concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR ERNEST MAC- DONALD, a subject of the King of England, residing at London, En land, have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Vehicle-Lamps, of which the following 'is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in lam s and. has particular reference to lamps .emp loyed as headlights for vehicles.

The term vehicleis employed; to include wheeled vehicles and also boats and in the particular description, which follows hereinafter the reference to motor vehicles is, to

he understoodto cover boats and other vehides employed for transit.

Hitherto, in motor vehicles it has been suggested to provide operative connections between the steering gear and theilampcasing so that the lamp as a whole has been moved about a vertical axis to alter the direction of the. issuing beam automatically with a movement of the steering gear. According to this invention, however, "in, a, vehicle lamp there are-provided operative connections'between either the source of light or the reflector or both and the steerin mechanism, ofthe vehicle so that one or botli of thern is or are automaticallymoved by more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I shows. an elevation, having parts in section, ofa reflector, a source of, light and operating gear; for the former; Fig.2

is. a plan, partly in sectlon of Fig; 1; Fig. 3 is a, plan of a special form. of switch e'mployed; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 oi Fig, 3, and Fig. '5 is a diagram of electrical connections mployed.

- Like letters indicate like parts throughout the: drawings.

In the base A inside the casing of the lamp which is not'shown in the drawings,

is screwed a gas-connection B secured therein by a nut, and lock nuts as at B Mounted on a projection of the gas-connection is a drum C carrying ratchets C and C having teeth cut in reverse directions, as shown in Fig. 2. The drum '0 has a hole through it and in the. hole is a burner D which is thereby arranged above the gas-inlet B in a gas-tight manner and which preferably moves witheany movement of the drum. C.

Carried on an arm E supported by and moved with the drum C; isa ring E in which is secured a reflector E As more clearly shown in Fig. 2, there is pivoted on one side of the drum at F a lever F sup orting a pawl F pivoted at F the endof which engages with the ratchet C 'The lever F extends to the other end of .the base A and Y forms an iron armature F which is operated upon by an electromagnet F whose function will be hereinafter more fully described. The lever F is normally held away from the magnet 13 by means of a spring F and the pawl F is. normally held by a spring F in position for engaging the ratchet C upon swing of said lever F; a spring stop F engaging the ratchet C for yieldingly locking t e drum C against rotation. In asimilar manner on the other side of the drum C therei'sa lever G' pivoted at Gr supporting a pawl: G pivoted at G and having an enlarged portion Gr forming an armature for the electroma G are provided to control the lever G and the pawl G respectively.

Carried by the drum C is a contact drum H- whichwill rotate with it or may be geared to it to rotate with it. but at a greater speed or less as required. The contact drum H may, however, be mounted separately from the drum C and may carry ratchet wheelsto be engaged and moved by pawls on. the levers F and G in a similar manner to the drum C.

A controlling switch, shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and digrammatically in Fig. 5, is moved by an operative connection from the steering gear or from some art of the vehicle which is afi'ected by a c ange in direction of the latter. It consists of a number to terminals J J The contact arm engaging these conta ots consists of a metallic portion J 8 connected to an arm J but ingnet G while springs. G and of contacts J wherein alternate contacts are connected to one another and are connected- J said lever 0 being operatively connected.

with a portion of the. steering gear and of any convenient design preferred'by the user. The particular shape or construction of these. connections in themselves, however,

are not part of the present invention. Secured to the pin J is a bifurcated member J carrying contact screws J 7 and J 8 which are insulated from the member J. Electrical connections are made between a terminal screw on the arm J 3 and a terminal J on one side of the switch box,.shown in dotted lines, and a further connection is made between another terminal J at the "side of the box and a terminal screw on the arm J which is also indicated in dotted lines. Electrical connections are made between the contact screws J and J 5 and the terminals J and J respectively, as shown.

A battery or other convenient source of electric current is connected through a switch across the terminals J and J connections from the terminals J and J are made to brushes contacting with the drum H previously referred to and connections are made between the terminals J and J and the electro-magnet coils F and G respectively, the other ends of the magnet windings being 'earthed. The contacts on the contact drum H are also earthed.

Referring to Fig. 5, which indicates a diagram of connections employed, it will be seen that the contact drum H has been shown as having only eight contacts on it, for the sake of 'clearness, but if it is to be carried by the drum C it should have as many contacts as there are contact points while if it is to be geared to the drum C, the number will be in proportion to the ratio of the gearing. Brushes K K in connection with the cont-acts J are so spaced relatively to the contacts that when one is engaged by a contact, the other is between it and the next contact while with one movement of the drum due to the movement of the switch, which will be hereinafter explained, a contact behind the brush betweenthe two contacts shall move forward to make contact with that brush while the brush which was previously in contact shall be between two other contacts.

- Assuming the vehicle has been running steadily, the conditions of electric circuit gages with a metallic projection J extending from the arm J Following upon this the switch arm will be moved until it is brought into a contact J which is connected to the brush K and current will then flow as follows :from the battery L current will flow through the projection J to the I,

contact screw J and through its connection I to the electro-magnet coil G From the coil G it flows through its earthed connection to the contacts on the drum H through the brush K and back' through the cbntact J and the switch arm J 8 to the battery. This causes the electro-magnet G to. be energized and the armature G will be drawn to it. In so doing the pawl G2 engaging the ratchet C turns the drum C. Movement of the drum C disengages the contact from the brush K but brings the next contact to engage with the'brush K and it will be readily seenthat it'leaves the next stop on either side of the switch arm J 3 in a condition for.

completing an "electric circuit through one or other of the magnet windings F or G What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is z y 1. In a head light, the combination of movable means for shifting the direction of the light rays, operating mechanism for said movable means normally maintained out of engagement with the latter, means for locking said'movable means in position during the disengagement of said operating mechanism therewith, and means for shifting said operating mechanism into actuating engagement with said movable means.

'2. In a head light, the combination of movable means for shifting the direction of the light rays, operating mechanism therefor including an electro-magnet, means for normally maintaining said operating mechanism out of engagement with said movable means, and means including a shiftable device for successively energizing and deenergizing Said electro-magnet. during continued movement of said shiftable device.

8. In a head light, the combination of movable means for shifting the direction of the light rays, operating mechanism therefor including an electro-magnet, means for normally maintaining said operating mechanism out of engagement with said movable means, a normally open electric circuit connected to the winding of said electro-magnet, and a shiftable device for successively closing and opening said circuit during continued movement of said device.

4. In a head light, the combination of pivoted means for shifting the direction of the light rays, independent mechanisms for swinging said pivoted means in opposite directions, independent actuating means for each of said mechanisms, and means for operatively connecting said actuating means to a common source of energy.

5. In a vehicle head lamp. the combination of movable means for shifting the direction of the light rays, operating means for In testimony whereof I have signed my said movable means normally maintained name to this specification in the presence of out of engagement with the l-atter, and contwo subscribing Witnesses. nections betweenthe vehicle steering mech- ARTHUR ERNEST MACDONALD.

5 anism and said operating means for shift- Witnesses: ing the latter into operative engagement CHARLES FRENCH, with'said movable means. I ARTHUR DOWNS PIATT, 

